Building the Elite blog

Resources on how to get ready for SOF selection and improve human performance. Building the Elite blog article topics include physical and mental components essential to success during Special Operations Forces selections and deployments.

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stress inoculation through cold water exposure

Stress Inoculation in Practice: Cold Water Exposure

“It is according to opinion that we suffer.” - Lucius Annaeus Seneca One of the main things setting special ...

Self Talk

We’ve all got a running commentary in our heads throughout much of the day--scientists call it an “internal monologue”. ...

Reimagine, Revise, Re-store

Scientific studies of memory are a little scary, because the evidence is in, and your memory sucks. Memories are ...

Segmenting

A little-appreciated fact about selection is that a surprising amount of the quitting happens on a Sunday night or ...

Quit Tomorrow

"Such as are your habitual thoughts, such also will be the character of your mind; for the soul is ...

Events, Beliefs, and Consequences

“Nothing happens to anybody which he is not fitted by nature to bear.”  Marcus Aurelius  One of the universally ...

Compartmentalization

Take away thy opinion, and then there is taken away the complaint, "I have been harmed." Take away the ...
Physical Standards for SOF Selection Assessment

Physical Standards Assessment for SOF Selection

“How much running, rucking, swimming, calisthenics, and strength training should I be doing to prepare for selection?” This is ...
lifestyle assessment tool building the elite

Lifestyle Assessment for SOF Selection: Sleep, Nutrition & Stress Guide

The first step in creating a robust training program is understanding where to focus your efforts. Of course you’ll ...

Training Principles

Regardless of your age, background, or what you are training for, principles should guide your training process. The following ...
Strength Training for Special Operations Prep thumbnail

Strength Training for Special Operations Selection Prep

Strength & Power Training Methods  Strength and power development is one of the primary pillars of SOF prep training ...
Work Capacity Training for military PT tests

A Work Capacity Deep Dive on How to Crush Your Military PT Test

What is Work Capacity?  Work capacity is a blend of power and capacity.  Power = the amount of force ...
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